Sign



Feb. 9 1926.

' s. LIBROS SIGN Filed Nov. 26, 1924 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 %NAT UN A fi/i R BARK ANN CR, NBLSSEZJN ""HBIRIEDAHDJWAY AF E fE ENTOR wm BY TTORNE Feb.

S. LIBROS sum Filed Moi 26, 1924 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 @5 4:

INVENTOIQ 7 Feb. 9 1926.

S. MEROS SIGN F'iled Nov. 26, 1924 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Feb. 9, 1926.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SIMON LIBROS, OF GYNWYD, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO LIBROS, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

OSCAR SIGN.

Application filed November 26, 1924. Serial No. 752,308.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SIMON LInRos, a citizen of the United States, residing at Oynwyd, in the county of 'Montgomery and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Signs, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to display signs and more particularly to illuminated signs in which the display-matter is to be changed from time to time as for instance in the display of theater programs.

Signs of this general type have been developed but they have been ordinarily sub- ,ject to one or more disadvantages such as complication and expense of structure, inaccessibility of the advertising matter for quick change and the ineffective distribution and loss of the light. t

It is the primary object, therefore, of the invention to provide a display-sign which is of simple and inexpensive construction, which is easy to assemble and the display matter of which can be readily changed- I 5 propose an arrangement whereby I can largely use parts of standard commercial manufacture.

A more specific object of the invention is the provision of a display sign in which the display matter may be locked securely against displacement by unauthorized persons and in which the insertion opening may be effectively sealed whereby substantially all of the light is made effective for illuminating the sign.

Another object of the invention is to provide in a device of the character described, an improved arrangement of parts for securing more effective and uniform distribution of light.

Still another object is to provide an arrangement whereby the lighting elements can be disposed marginally of the display matter to eliminate glare while still keeping overall dimensions within small limits.

With the foregoing and related objects in view, the invention consists in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings illustrating my invention, I V I Fig. l is a face view of the device, display matter being indicated in several of the guide-ways Fig. 2 is an edge view of Fig. 1 looking toward the left;

Fig. 3 is a front view with the display panel or lid removed and having a portion broken away for clarity;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged section taken on the line L- l of Fig. 3 with the central portion broken out;

Fig. 5 is a plan section taken on the line 55 of Fig. 1 with the central portion broken out;

Fig. 6 is a plan section taken on the line 66 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 7 is an enlarged vertical section of the display panel or lid with a portion broken out;

- Fig. 8 is a plan section taken on the line as it is slid into place. The upper and lower edges 3 and 4 respectively, are similarly formed, thereby stiffening the casing along such edges. It will be seenhowever that the upper edge portion 3 is first bent upward and then in to channel form, thus providing a guide-way for complementary means'carried on the panel B to be hereinafter described, while the lower edge portion 4 is first'bent downward and then into channel form'thus providing a similar guide way for the panel at this point. Braces 5 are provided at the corners of the casing to further stiffen it.

The panel B- is provided adjacent its upper and lower edges with the members 6 and 7 of substantial channel section" extending crosswise of the panel, which members may be secured thereto in any convenient manner. These members are complemen- As a means for holding the display matter I have arranged on the inner surface of the panel B a plurality of spaced para l'lel channel bars extending crosswise of the panel and across the middle opening 10 in the panel, thus forming guide-ways for receiving thed-isplay matter. It is to be noted that the cross bars with the exception of the upper and lower bars. are formed of two channel bars placed back to back and secured together by soldering or other suit able means and have a stiffening bar 1-1 hrtending the length thereof and covering the seam. This not only adds to the strength of the'guide-ways but improves the outward appearance thereof. Referring more especially-to =15 ig. 7, it will be seen that the channel bars are of sufficient width to accommodate the display matter, .in this instance stencil sheets or strips 12 and the translucent members 13 preferably'ofglass, both slidable in the channelsl) which are open at one end It for insertion of the stenoil sheets and glass members, .and closed at their other ends by stop members 15, which prevent them from "beingi slid past their proper posit-ion,

An opening 16 is provided at one side of the casingand adjacent the panel B to give clearance for the protruding guide-ways 9 carried on the inner surface of the panel and through which the display matter andglass es may be inserted. In order to remove and insert display sheets or glasses, different colored glasses being desirable for-certain effects, it is only necessary to slidethepanel very little for gaining access thereto. This opening 16 may be closed by-means of the combined closure and light seal 17 in the form of a sliding shutter having slotted en gagement with the locking screws 18, whereby "it may be locked in position. By reason of the ends of the channels 9 falling short of the side of the bOX when the panel is in closed position, the combined closure and light seal serves to lock the panel in place when the closure 17 is in closed position. Henceit will be seen that the display mat ter cannot be easily tampered with by unauthorized persons. j

The particular arrangement ofjt'he illuminating means will now be 'described. Ar-

ranged at vertically spaced intervals at each side'of the casing are a plurality of brackets 19 boltedxor otherwise secured to the casing A, which brackets carry electric light sockets 20 and electric bulbs 21. The upper faces 22 of the brackets 19 are slightly in- 'clined from the horizontal which causes the In order to elfectively distribute the-light over all of the display matter I provide the reflector '23 atfth'e bottom of and within the casing which reflector extends hori- Zontally thereof. Thus it will be seen that the light is reflected and uniformly dis tri buted to the panel and without glare.

A similar'reflector 2 1 is located in .a compartment or head piece 25 secured to the top of the casing. The front of' this compartment has a central opening 26 behind which is supported in guide-ways 27 a translucent membe'i 28 bearing advertising matter which maybe a general title for the matter displayed in the other "portion of the sign, as for instance the name of the theatre displaying its program. The refiector 24v] distributes the light through the translucent 'member 28. I

It will be apparent from the above doscrip'tion thatf-t-he construction of the panel 4 and casing is such as will'very well adapt itself to being built into'the 'wallofa building with the panel B protruding a suf ficien t amount to allow sliding movement thereof for giving access to the interior of the casing andthe'display matterf It will now be understo'od th'at when my invention is used for a theatre display sign, stencil strips or some other form of strips in which the advertising will stand out when the sign isill-uminated may be readily changed periodically that is to say the apparatus can be used continuously by merely changing the strips from week to week, so that the weekly program may be inexpensively changed, the only costs being that o f the display strips. If desired colored glasses may be used with good effect to cause some special feature of the program to stand out-from the .rest. The sign as a whole isvery ornamental-and attractiveand therefore draws attension to it.

'lJA display sign comprising a casin illuminating means within said casing, said 1 casing formed of slieetnietal having horizontal top and bottom walls and vertical side walls forming a casing having an open ill front portion, stiff ribs upon said top and bottom walls located at the front edges of the latter, a panel adapted for closing the front of the casing having its outer edges extending beyond and overlapping said top, bottom and side walls of the casing, said panel being of open frame construction, brackets located upon the rear surface of the top and bottom portions of said panel adapted to embrace said stiff ribs of the casing and slide horizontally thereon, a series of horizontal guideways secured upon the rear face of said panel in parallel relation to said ribs of the casing, slides having display characters thereon, said slides removably mounted in said horizontal guideways and visible through the open portion of the front panel, means upon the casing adapted for securing the front panel in a fixed position in relation to the casing, and illuminating means within said casing.

2. A display sign comprising a sheet metal casing having a back, a top wall, a bottom wall, and a side wall equal in width to the width of the top and bottom walls, a front panel having an open central portion slidably mounted upon said top and bottom walls, guide-ways upon the inner face of the front panel, a narrow side wall forming part of said casing forming an opening between said narrow wall and the front panel through which said guide-ways may pass, a

. plate forming a shutter slidably mounted upon said narrow wall adapted to abut against the inner face of the front panel and close said opening between said narrow wall and said panel, a slide having display characters thereon removably mounted in said guide-ways, and illuminating means within said casing.

3. A display sign comprising a sheet metal casing having a back, a top wall, a bottom wall, and a sidewall equal in width to the width of the top and bottom walls, a front panel having an open central portion slidably monted upon said top and bottom walls, guide-ways upon the inner face of the front panel, a narrow side wall forming part of said casing forming an opening between said narrow wall and the front panel through which said guide-ways may pass, a plate forming a shutter slidably mounted upon said narrow wall, a stiffening edge port-ion formed upon said plate adapted to abut against the inner face of the front panel and close said opening between said narrow wall and said panel, a slide having display characters thereon removably mounted in said guideways, and illuminating means within said casing.

l. A display sign including in combination a casing having illuminating means therein, said casing having a back, side walls, a top wall and a bottom wall, a panel mounted upon the front face of said casing, one of said side walls of the casing being of nar row formation and forming a vertical opening between said narrow wall and the front panel, a series of guide-ways upon the inner face of the front panel, slides adapted for carrying display advertising characters slidable horizontally in said guide-ways and adapted to pass through said vertical opening, a plate mounted upon said narrow side wall of the casing and slidable in a plane parallel with said last mentioned wall adapted to form a shutter for closing said vertical opening, and a fastening device for securing said plate in a closed position upon said last mentioned wall.

5. A display sign comprising asheet metal casing having a back, a top wall, a bottom wall, and a side wall equal in width to the width of the top and bottom walls, a front panel having an open central portion slidably mounted upon said top and bottom walls, guide-ways upon the inner face of the front panel, a narrow side wall forming part of said casing forming an opening between said narrow wall and the front panel through which said guide-ways may pass, a plate forming a shutter slidably mounted upon said narrow wall, a plate having elongated slots formed therein, and fastening devices upon said narrow wall extending through the slotted portion of said plate and upon which said plate is slidably mounted in a plane parallel with said narrow wall adapted for closing the opening between said narrow wall and said panel.

6. A display sign comprising a casing, internal illuminating means within the casing, said casing formed of sheet metal pro-v vided with top and bottom walls, the bottom wall having a portion projecting downwardly, forwardly and upwardly forming a stiff rib, the topwall having a portion projecting upwardly, forwardly and downwardly, and forming a stiff rib, a panel for closing the front of the casing, a bracket upon the upper portion of said panel adapted to embrace the upper stiff rib of the casing, and a lower bracket upon said panel adapted to embrace the lower stiff rib of the casing and slidably connecting the panel to the casing to permit it to be removed laterally therefrom, and means for mounting advertising characters upon said panel.

7. A display sign comprising a casing, internal illuminating means withinthe casing, said casing formed of sheet metal provided with top and bottom walls, the bottom wall having a portion projecting downwardly, forwardly and upwardly forming a stiff rib, the top wall having a portion projecting upwardly, forwardly and down wardly and forming a stiff rib, a panel of rectangular construction having an open central portion adapted to be occupied with ad- 4; gramme vemisimg characters, said frame being Of l-alger dimensions ifll'illlifihe front .face 05f the casing and adapted to overlap said ribs, said fzmme its inner iii-ace -positionecl against said upwardly :and (Pkownwamdly porbio-11s 0f said ribsotf the casing, "and brackets upon the upper and lower portimas of the panel :zndmpbed ito embrace the ribs upon the upper iower Walls of the casing :ugp'on which :ri-bs said panel is adapted to slide.

in testimony whereef, 1 affix any -.s'1;gmture hereto.

SIMON LIBROS. 

